Confessions of Compromise

These suggestions won’t earn me the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, but they will help me – and maybe other horrible housekeepers – do just a little better.

1. Wash the dishes once a day…or perhaps, every other day.

2. Chuck the top sheet. Buy a nice quilt. And smooth it out in the morning. Voila! The bed is made.

3. Toss in a load of laundry before bed. Dry it when you get up. If you do this regularly, the laundry won’t get ahead of you. (My gift to my kids upon high school graduation was the responsibility of taking care of their own laundry. Happy Graduation!)

4. Choose the most important area to you and make an effort to keep it tidy. (i.e.: the first room people see when they visit, the room you spend the most time in, etc.)

5. I didn’t want my kids having food going bad in their rooms, but other than that, I figured, if their doors were shut, I didn’t have to look at the mess.

6. Grab an armload of stuff from the stairs on your way up. Too often, in years gone by, I just walked by time and time and time again.

7. Prioritize your To Do list. As they say in the business setting, “Health and safety first.” After that, set realistic goals that truly put people first. A peaceful, untidy home – in my opinion – is far more important than an immaculate house with strained relationships.